Updates from the Ministry

M I N I S T R Y O F N A T U R A L R E S O U R C E S , E N V I R O NM E N T A N D T O U R I S M

November 2018

This month at MNRET

Birthdays in November

NOVEMBER NEWS

Larry Mamis, BOA (11/2) Rimirch Katosang, BMR (11/14) Lawrence Sumor, BMR (11/14) Isechal Remengesau, BOA (11/30)

2018 United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (UN-CBD) The Belau Watershed Alliance (BWA) and MNRET’s GEF Pacific Ridge to RidgeInternational Waters (R2R IW) Project showcased their work at the UN-CBD inEgypt. Over 2,000 participants representing nearly 100 countries gathered toensure that governments take action to protect the ecosystems that supportfood and water security and the health of billions of people. Page 4.

BOA and BNM to develop botanical partnership network Earlier this month, the Bureau of Agriculture and Belau National Museum signed aMemorandum of Understanding (MOU) which sets the terms for a collaborationbetween the two agencies with the goal of expanding the national botanical gardenand develop a botanical partnership network. Read more on page 5. 

Palau’s 2nd GEF Full-Size National Project Launched Palau’s full-size national project titled Integrating Biodiversity Safeguards andConservation into Development was launched at the Palasia Hotel on November 6,2018.  The 6-year, $4.2 million project will be implemented in collaboration withthe United Nations Development Programme, several state governments and awide range of agencies, organizations and institutions.  Continued on page 3.

PALAU RESPONSIBLE TOURISM POLICY FRAMEWORK

F E A T U R E D P R O J E C T

The Bureau of Tourism (BOT) was fortunate to have had the opportunity for a technical

assistance grant of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs that made the

development of this important document possible not only for the Bureau of Tourism, but for

Palau’s Tourism Industry as a whole.  The “Palau Responsible Tourism Policy Framework” or PRTPF

was guided by a steering committee made up of all governmental agencies, NGOs and individuals

with ties to Palau’s tourism industry. It is now used by the BOT as a road map to manage the

tourism industry in the Republic of Palau. 

Each of the six targets is addressed through specific Goals,

Objectives and Activities. Monitoring is also in place for

project evaluation and implementation progress. In addition,

the Palau RTPF calls for a National Tourism Coordinating

Board “NTCB” to oversee this policy framework.

This PRTPF comprise of six targets that are main content

of the document. These are: 

- Responsible tourism awareness and alignment is a

national priority - Palau’s visitor economy is responsibly

managed - Responsible product development - Palau’s

visitor experience is the living brand - Palau’s tourism

industry provides improved visitor yield - Palau’s tourism

development is community-driven .

The roles of the Bureau of Tourism for the framework are as follows: 

-Implement and/or coordinate the policies, projects, and programs directly and indirectly,

-Serve as a Secretariat to the proposed NTCB

-Organize programs and training to upgrade the quality and technical skills of the tourism industry

-Measure the flow and impacts of tourism activities

-Manage the regulations and endorsement of its standards and certification.    

In a holistic way, BOT is to ensure that our guests experience the

Pristine Paradise Palau. This includes ensuring the safety and

health of our visitors as well as protecting our local businesses in

the tourism industry. But ensuring that our local community

benefits from our tourism, while we do our best to educate

visitors about practices for a responsible tourism and ensuring a

clean Palau that is sustainable and resilient.  

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MINISTRY? M I N I S T R Y N E W S   A N D U P D A T E S

Palau’s 2nd GEF Full-Size National Project Launched Palau’s full-size national project titled, Integrating Biodiversity Safeguards and Conservationinto Development was launched at the Palasia Hotel on November 6, 2018.  The 6-year, $4.2million project will be implemented in collaboration with the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP), several state governments and a wide range of agencies, organizationsand institutions.   Funding for the project was made possible by a grant through the Global Environment Facility(GEF), an international organization which has already funded several national projects. Thisparticular project aims to support sustainable development from a wider land and seascapeplanning and management approach and provide the enabling mechanisms to strengthenPalau’s current capacity for regulating, permitting and monitoring development projects. 

Given the large scale of the project, the 6-year time frame and multiple implementingpartners, the main objectives of the meeting were to inform key stakeholders of theimportant roles they would be playing and the overall goal which can only be achievedthrough the partners’ collective commitments.   The meeting also presented an opportunity for everyone to revisit the project’s details,ensuring that activities to be implemented are current and relevant to the local context,given the project’s design and development of the proposal that was initiated in 2016 andGEF’s approval this year.

Representatives from UNDP, line agencies from several ministries, state governments, the Environmental QualityProtection Board, the National Development Bank of Palau, non-government organizations, Palau Public UtilitiesCorporation and other partner institutions were on-hand to contribute to this inception meeting.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MINISTRY?

BWA and GEF R2R IW Showcases Work at the 2018 United Nations Convention on Biodiversity In Egypt  November 17-29, 2018 – The Belau Watershed Alliance (BWA) and MNRET’s GEF PacificRidge to Ridge International Waters (R2R IW) Project showcased their work at the UnitedNations Convention on Biodiversity in Egypt. BWA and the R2R IW made available numerouswork and educational outreach materials to the participants of this 2018 UN Convention onBiodiversity. Such work showcased included water conservation brochures as well as acollection of images of outreach efforts on watershed and water quality advocacy to schoolsand communities, trainings and workshops, research activities with local and internationalpartners, and much more.

This Convention brought over 2,000 participants representing nearly 100 countries thatconsisted of policymakers, scientists, donors, business representatives, students, NGOs,youth, women, and indigenous groups. The purpose of the convention was to bring togetherthese groups to make a collective effort to ensure that people and governments take actionand further strengthen efforts to end biodiversity loss and protect the ecosystems thatsupport food and water security, as well as the health for billions of people.  This international event was very important to BWA and GEF R2R IW as it was anopportunity to showcase Palau’s efforts towards advocacy and protection of watersheds – avital goal all countries share and strive to achieve. This year’s convention not only committedand ensured biodiversity in the years to come, it took it a step further in adopting the ridge toreef approach in preserving protected areas for effective resource and biodiversitymanagement. This was a great opportunity for learning and for BWA and the R2R IW toexpand its local reach on an international scale.

N O V E M B E R T I D B I T S F R O M O U R B U R E A U S

Special Projects under the Ministry - GEF Pacific R2R IW Project

Photo Courtesy ofBWA/R2R IW

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MINISTRY? N O V E M B E R T I D B I T S C O N T I N U E D

On November 7th, the Bureau of Agriculture (BOA) and the Belau National Museum(BNM) directors sat down together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).This MOU sets the terms of understanding between the BOA and the BNM to worktogether to expand the national botanical garden and develop a botanicalpartnership network, to include at least four Protected Areas Network (PAN) areas,four existing nurseries, and one catchment area to coordinate conservation andcultivation of botanical species and build capacity across organizations. As the BNMhas established a botanical garden that consist of Palau endemic plants, and itsextensive knowledge and data collection, they will work together with forestrydivision in gathering different types of endemic trees and medicinal plants, and shareknowledge and information. 

This partnership is important for both BOA and BNM as it will fulfill both theircomponents in the Global Environmental Facility Cycle 5 project (GEF5), and it will greatlybenefit all the botanical garden partners as to alleviate the pressure of individual work ontheir nurseries to meet their goals. It will also be a stepping platform that can createPalau’s Botanical Garden and Nurseries Networking system for all partners.

BOA and Belau national Museum sign MOU to develop botanical partnership network

Bureau of Agriculture (BOA)

BOA and BNM Directors sign a Memorandum of Understanding  

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MINISTRY? N O V E M B E R T I D B I T S C O N T I N U E D

Two training demonstrations on Integrated Farming Systems with Dry Litter Piggery andOrganic Gardening were recently held on November 9, 2018 in Zackarias Siangeldeb Farmin Shimizu, Ngchesar, and on Julie Tellei’s Farm in Ngerubesang, Melekeok.  These are twoof the farm sites implemented by the  Bureau of Agriculture's project on “Enhancing Sustainable Livelihoods through Demonstration of Environmentally Friendly and Integrated FoodProduction Systems in Palau for Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change and ClimateChange / El Nino Mitigation” funded by the  EU-GIZ Project on Adaptation to Climate Changeand Sustainable Energy  (EU-GIZ-ACSE) Program.  

It features a dry-litter piggery which utilizes wood chips and manure for composting whileconserving water for cleaning the pens.  The compost is then used to sustainably  groworganic  fruits , root crops  and vegetables planted around the farm to ensure food securityfor the family. A disaster resilient nursery was also featured to protect planting materialsin the event of a strong typhoon.  Thirty-six participants from the two states attended thetraining.

INTEGRATED FARMING TRAINING WORKSHOP IN NGCHESAR STATE 

Bureau of Agriculture (BOA)

Zackarias Siangeldeb receiving farm tools (left) and disaster resilient plant nursery (right)

Dry litter piggery (left) and compost bin from dry litter (right) 

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MINISTRY? N O V E M B E R T I D B I T S C O N T I N U E D

On Friday, November 2, 2018, the Bureau of Marine Resources (BMR) launched apilot rabbitfish cage in Aimeliik State by delivering 2,500 juvenile rabbitfish fry(Klsebuul) to pilot farmer Mr. Lucio Obakerbau to stock his fish cage at MongamiDock, which was previously constructed by BMR. The launch in Aimeliik took placeshortly after three pilot rabbitfish cage deployments in Kayangel State, and will befollowed by an additional fish cage planned for Ngaraard State and several more inPeleliu State.   In addition to the fry, pilot farmers receive free feed to rear the juvenile fish toharvesting size, which takes about 8 months, as well as training in cage managementmethods. Feeding tables and measuring devices provided to farmers enable easymonitoring of the amount of feed provided and how quickly the fish reach harvestingsize. The fry supplied for the pilot study have been adapted by aquaculture experts atBMR to thrive and grow in a fish cage environment, partly by minimizing sizevariation within the stock that is delivered to the fish cages. Over time, rabbitfishdata collected from the pilot cages will enhance net profits for farmers by providinginformation about the cage culture condition of the fish as they reach harvesting size.

Support for the BMRRabbitfish Project isprovided by the Republicof China (through theAquaculture Projectproduction of rabbitfishfries) and The NatureConservancy (through theAlternative Livelihoodgrant, which purchasesthe fish cage materials)with the aim of improvingPalau’s food security andself-sustainability.  

Aimeliik rabbitfish cage deployment

Bureau of Marine Resources (BMR)

BMR Pilot Rabbitfish Project team: BMR Director LeonRemengesau, AP experts Min-Ying Cheng (not pictured) and JackLin, cage owner Mr. Lucio Obakerbau, BMR employees UmangDemei, Lawrence Sumor, Sorens Meyar and D-Van Ongrung.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MINISTRY? N O V E M B E R T I D B I T S C O N T I N U E D

BMR Director is deeplyappreciative of the spirit of

togetherness, close cooperationand immeasurable support

extended to him by the OFCFdelegation and especially the ROP-ROC Aquaculture Project managerbased in Taiwan, Mario Huang, andhis assistants who were former AP

experts working in Palau. 

The live clam display, which wasshipped from Palau, was picked upin Taipei after Customs and caredfor by Dino C.T. Hsieh for four daysand then brought to Kaohsiungwhere he and PMDC SeniorTechnician Lawrence Sumor set upthe clams in the aquarium thatbecame the attraction of the Palaubooth at the seafood show.

Participation at the Taiwan International Fisheries and SeafoodShow November 21 – 23: BMR attended the trade show last week insupport of the Ambassador of Palau to the R.O.C. and asapproved by the Office of the Minister, to demonstrate Palau’saquaculture ability, and as a goodwill effort to the Government ofTaiwan, since the show is an income generator for the City ofKaohsiung. The show was also an opportunity for Japan’s OFCFto send a team to observe Palau’s ability in the internationalaquaculture seafood market and to see the result of Japan’s long-standing contributions to Palau Mariculture DemonstrationCenter (PMDC) over the years. Additionally, the show providedan occasion for Palau and Japan to continue fosteringaquaculture development opportunities, especially of the giantclam and the newly targeted mangrove clam. Lastly, BMR wasable to observe other international markets and technologies toacquire fresh ideas for expanding development here in Palau. 

Bureau of Marine Resources (BMR)

Director Remengesau would like tothank the Bureau’s great partner, TNCDirector Steven Victor for his assistanceand company in Kaohsiung as well asPalau Visitors Authority (PVA)Chairman, Mr. Ngirai Tmetuchl, whomade time for a last day visit in supportof Palau's Ambassador to Taiwan. BMRlooks forward to the possible assistancefrom PVA in next year’s Fisheries andSeafood Show.    

WHO IS . . .?

A L F O N S ON G I R U N G A I

P A L A U B E A U T I F I C A T I O N P R O J E C T , B U R E A U O F A G R I C U L T U R E

Alfonso Ngirungai has been working with the Bureau of Agriculture (BOA) since the last termof former President Kuniwo Nakamura. Mr. Ngirungai was set to retire on December 28, 2017

but because of his depth of knowledge and expertise from over 17 years of service, he wasextended for a year to lead Palau’s beautification project at the request of Palau’s President

Tommy Remengesau Jr.

 During the first three months of the project, he focused on expanding the nursery in Nekken,and now has over 3,000 plants. After the nursery expansion he landscaped the area

surrounding the President’s office in Meyuns. He also started the President's experimentalfarm in Choll, planted around the new erected sign in Ngatpang, and he is set to start planting

in the loop area near the Ngerchelong State office as well as many more locations aroundPalau.

 When asked about his proudest accomplishment while working at BOA, he replied, “I helpedplant the noni trees and lead the planting of the coconut trees all around Palau, but most of all I’m

proud to have helped a lot of farmers when I was part of the Taiwan Technical Mission that gave outover 80,000 taro plants for free to Palau’s farmers”.

Mr. Ngirungai is sincerely passionate about the success of each and every farmer in Palau.This passion was ignited when he was in vocational study at PHS under Sano and Adelbai.

After Palau High School he left Palau for a higher education, which for various reasons didn’twork out. This, however, did not bother him: “School is important but if you want to succeed inanything you do, you need heart 'Duch el Reng' ".  He then went on to say “If you need any help

with plants you can call my personal phone at 488-4497.”

 When he was asked what he really wants to do right now, he replied “I just want to retire andspend some time with my children now that I’m still strong”.

 From all of us at MNRET and  the Bureau of Agriculture, a heartfelt Thank You, Alfonso

Ngirungai, for all of your hard work and your willingness to continue past your retirement tohelp Palau and its people.